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AN EASY METHOD 


OP 


TEACHING CHILDREN TO LEARN 
TO DRAW LETTERS 


BY 

HENRY C. BLAIR 

/ } 

DIRECTOR OF EDUCATION IN THE VIRGIN ISLANDS OF THE UNITED STATES 



LEA & FEBIG E R 

PHILADELPHIA AND NEW YORK 

1919 






\S^)\S^(o 

■"B 5 




Copyright 
LEA & FEBIGER 
1919 


OCT II 1919 


©Cl 4585305 



c/m 


PREFACE. 


Before a child is able to write it can be taught 
to draw print letters and from these it will get the 
fundamental idea of the shape of letters. 

Almost without exception, children beginning to 
draw letters make them of various sizes and in irreg¬ 
ular lines, like this: 

/\ B c [) £ F Or 

Hi j ^ ^ ° 

A few letters are often made backward, as: 

a l 

Teachers as well as parents, though well-informed 
otherwise, frequently know little about the under¬ 
lying principles of letter construction and therefore 
are unable to guide the child correctly. 


At first glance the method here recommended may 
seem too complicated for a child, but on careful 
investigation it will be found to be quite simple. It 
is based on a square: 


This and nothing else, save sectional division lines, 
is required as a guide in forming certain letters. 

In order to give the right distance, proportion, etc., 
this square must be divided into four sections: 



This method of division is followed because it is 
the easiest one for the teacher and the child. 

The square, divided into four sections, is again 
divided by a horizontal line: 



so that the cross, or middle, line of the letters will be 
placed in approximately the correct position. 

























5 


Sign painters and printers will say that our method 
is primitive and incorrect; but we are not trying to 
teach the children to be letterers or typefounders, 
but simply giving them an easy way to learn propor¬ 
tion and general form. 

To be strictly correct, the letter I should take up a 
very small portion of a square, while M and W, on 
the contrary, should take more than a square, and so 
with other letters. For our purpose, however, the 
square is sufficient. 

Notice, for instance, that on the typewriter the 
letters M and W, both capital and lower case, are 
entirely out of proportion, as are some of the other 
letters. This is necessary to meet the requirements 
of a machine on which every letter must be exactly 
the same size. 

So with our method; it is general; and the slight 
variation in size may be learned by the child when 
it is older and can understand better the reasons for 
the difference in space occupied by the various letters. 

The first thirteen lessons will give the child invalu¬ 
able information, a sense of proportion and the ability 
to understand and draw letters. 

The matter following is for the teacher’s instruction 
and may be imparted to children if the teacher finds 
that they can understand it. 

When a child understands that every letter in the 
alphabet, except the ninth (I), must touch all four 
sides of the square; that straight lines must be straight; 
that curved lines must only cut the corners off; that 
there are only four letters with short curves, B, P, R, S; 
and only seven with long curves, C, D, G, J, O, Q, U; 


6 


and that there are eleven letters with slant lines, 
A, K, M, N, Q, R, V, W, X, Y, Z— in the simple form 
of making letters, the drawing of letters by tracing 
over the lines of a square and rounding off corners, 
will become an interesting and pleasing pastime 
rather than a labor. 

H. C. B. 


7 


FIRST LESSON 
CAPITAL LETTERS 

Draw a series of squares, as follows: 


Explain to the child that the first letters to learn 
are the square ones, E, F, H, I, L, T, and that, in 
drawing letters, each letter must fill the square or 
must go from side to side of the square, as follows: 



















The child should draw these letters, tracing over 
the lines until it becomes familiar with them, before 
proceeding to the next lesson. 

Make further explanation by numbering the corners 
and middle of the square and direct the child to draw 
lines from one number to another: 



□ 


3 to + 


5 to tn/.ddlc of lto3 







9 


SECOND LESSON 

Teach the round letters, C, G, O, Q, and that these 
letters likewise must fill the square: 



These round letters are made by cutting off the 
corners of the squares with a curved line, as follows: 


f N 





10 


THIRD LESSON 

Teach the square and round letters — part square and 
part round — U, B, D, J, P. These letters are made by 
filling the square with part straight and part curved 
lines : 



Draw the straight lines first then add the curved 
ones: 













































































11 


FOURTH LESSON 

Teach the angle letters, A, K, M, N, V, W, X, Y, Z. 

Divide the squares with one horizontal and three 
vertical lines and number them: 




A is made by drawing a line from 3 to 8, 3 to 12, 
and across the line 6 to 7, from the side lines of the 
letter. 

K is made by drawing a line from 1 to 8, half way 
between 6 and 8 to 5, and from the center of this line 
to 12. 

M is made by drawing a line from 1 to 8, 5 to 12, 

1 to 10, 5 to 10. 

























12 


N is made by drawing a line from 1 to 8, 5 to 12, 

1 to 12. 


V is made by drawing a line from 1 to 10, 5 to 10. 

W is made by drawing a line from 1 to 9, 5 to 11, 

3 to 9, 3 to 11. 

X is made by drawing a line from 1 to 12, 5 to 8. 

Y is made by drawing a line from 1 to center of 
6 to 7, 5 to center of 6 to 7, and from center of 6 to 7 
to 10. 

Z is made by drawing a line from 1 to 5, 8 to 12, 

5 to 8. 


3 1 5 1 5 




12 


12 





































13 


FIFTH LESSON 

R is the only letter composed of straight, curved and 
angle lines: 


i 2 3 4 S 




It is made by drawing lines from 1 to 8, 1 to 4, 6 to 

center of 4-11; curve from 4 to center of 4 to 11; 

straight line from center of 4-11 to 12. 






































14 


S is made up of three straight lines, two curves, 
and two half curves, and is drawn thus: 




Draw lines from 2 to 4, 9 to 11; from middle of 2-9 
to middle of 4-11. 

Draw curved lines from 2 to middle of 2-9; from 

middle of 4-11 to 11, and from 4 to middle of 5-7, 
and from middle of 6-8 to 9. 

































15 


SIXTH LESSON 
SMALL LETTERS 

Draw three lines, making two spaces, the second 
twice the width of the first: 


Divide the lower space into squares: 


and teach the round letters, b, c, d, e, o, p, q: 



These are made in the same manner as the capital 
letters described in the Second Lesson, page 9, and the 
line above the square serves as a guide for that part of 
the letter which may extend above the square. 

The letters p and q should extend an equal distance 
below the square. 

































16 


SEVENTH LESSON 


Teach the long letters, f, i, 

j, k, 1, t: 

"fc • • 



:: i i 




These should be made as described for the letters 
in the Fourth Lesson, page 11, and the portion ex¬ 
tending above the square should be added as shown 
above. 




















17 


EIGHTH LESSON 
Teach the half-round letters, h, m, n, u: 


nmnu 


Refer to page 10, Third Lesson, and follow the plan 
there described. 







18 


NINTH LESSON 

Teach the angle letters, v, x, y, z, w. 


m ixi lynzim 


These are made similar to the capital angle letters 
in the Fourth Lesson, page 11. 


















19 


TENTH LESSON 
Teach the exceptions, a, g, r, s : 





The first three are quite different from the corre¬ 
sponding capital letters, but can be made by dividing 
the square as shown in the Third Lesson. 

The letter s is made like the capital on page 14. 












20 


ELEVENTH LESSON 

Teach alphabetically the following capital letters: 

@BOD 
□ BOB 




MSD0 



□ 0IK 































21 


TWELFTH LESSON 

Teach alphabetically the following small letters: 


d aiLg: 


i m i j wii mn 


opqr ib tiu 


ivi m ixi iyi izi 



























































22 


THIRTEENTH LESSON 

After a child can make any letter in the squares, 
explain that these letters are correct, but that for the 
sake of economizing space ordinary print letters are 
taller than they are broad, thus: 



The form learned 


Printing form 




Each side the same length 



One-half higher 


The same rules apply to capitals and small letters 
when elongated or “condensed.” 














CAPITAL LETTERS 



SMALL LETTERS 








































24 


FOURTEENTH LESSON 

The following capital and small letters are almost 
the same shape: 

C c, Kk, 0 o, S s, V v, Ww, X x, Zz 

The following are different in shape but similar: 

Ee, Ft, li, Jj, LI, Mm, Pp, Qq, Tt, Uu, Yy 

The following are entirely different in shape: 

A a, Bb, Dd, Gg, Hh, Nn, Rr 

The following signs are frequently used and should 
be taught with the alphabet: 

& and. &c. and so forth. 

etc. and so forth (from the latin et cetera). 

Jj) dollars. 

(t cents. 


25 


FIFTEENTH LESSON 

After a child has learned to draw capital and small 
letters in the squares it should be taught to make 
these same letters between lines and without squares. 

ABODE F G 

atiiiHeTgH 

Etc. 


Then the letters should be taught using only one line. 

ABODEFO 

abcdefghi 

Etc. 



























26 


Then the letters without lines. 



Etc. 


i 




» 


27 


SIXTEENTH LESSON 

Teaching script is comparatively easy when the 
child has learned to print well, and the foregoing 
method tends to form a round, legible hand in writing, 
as it gives a sense of the proper proportion of letters. 

Explain that script letters are the easiest imitation 
of print and are used because they can be drawn 
faster. 

The following is a comparison of print and script 
letters: 

CAPITAL LETTERS 


A 

a. 

B 

ft. c 

2 

D 

jy 

E 

c 

F 

J G 


H 

¥ 

1 

j 

J 

/K 

r 

L 

X 

M 

m 

N 

71 0 

a 

P 

ft 

Q 

X 

R 

ft S 

j 

T 

J 

U 

K 

V 

V w 

w 

X 

X 

Y 

17 

Z 

2- 





28 


SMALL LETTERS 


a 

a/. 

b 


c 

O' 

d 

Ay 

e 

yy 

f 

/ 

(Q 

r 

h 

A 

■ 

1 

M 

■ 

J 

/ 

k 

A 

1 

J 

m 

/?ny 

n 

/7l/ 

0 

(X 

Q. 

% 

q 

r 

r 

Ay 

s 

J 

t 

A) 

u 

XU/, 

V 

/?/ 

w 

MX 

X 

xty 


y 7: z r 


29 


SEVENTEENTH LESSON 

CAPITAL SCRIPT LETTERS 

After print letters are understood, and the child 
can draw them correctly, script or writing letters 
should be taught. 

Explain carefully that writing is simply imitation 
print; that the changes in the forms of the letters are 
made to facilitate the movement of the pen or pencil. 

For instance, in making the print letter E, the pen 
must be removed at least once from the paper, even 
when the start is made at the upper right-hand point 

CZ E • In order to draw in the middle line in the 

script letter a loop is used and the pen is not removed 
from the paper <5. 

In order to understand that script is simply imita¬ 
tion print, take a pen and draw a capital print letter, 
then try to draw this letter rapidly without removing 
the pen from the paper. The result will be something 

like this (j3> , which is practically like the old-fash¬ 
ioned script letter 63 , or the modern script letter 63 • 
Some print letters can be made with one line—B 
for instance—by beginning at the lower left-hand 


30 


corner thus: Q . However, the natural way to 

begin a letter is at the top. 

In teaching script, explain that the letters are in 
imitation of print letters, which they resemble closely, 
and that the changes are necessary, as in writing the 
pen must move freely and easily, with as little jerky 
movement as possible. 


A ff 

The old-fashioned G# imitated the print letter 
closely, but like C/K and % C/!f it is difficult to draw; 
therefore, in modern writing we use the small letter 
enlarged, thus: 6{ 

B *?■ 

The script letter is made like the printed one, 
except that the line is started at the top left-hand 
corner, drawing down, then up, then twice around 
to make the two curves, a loop instead of a sharp 
point dividing the two curves, as this is easier and 
quicker to make. 

C C 

This is made almost like the print letter; the extra 
curve at the top is in imitation of the embellishment 
on the Roman print letter; the modern letter is made 
without the extra loop at the finish. 


31 


d jy 


This is clearly an imitation; the loop at the bottom 
allows the formation of a sharp angle, which otherwise 
cannot be drawn without a stop or jerky motion. 


E (5 

Like D, is a simple imitation; using curves instead 
of squares, thus: CC (5 the loop in the middle being 
easier and quicker to make than a sharp point. 


The old-fashioned letter J? requires two strokes of 
the pen and has been simplified in modern writing 
to <§^, made without removing the pen from the 
paper, and is a simple imitation of the print letter. 


G A 

This is the most difficult letter in capital script— 
as it is in small print—and is an imitation of the print 
letter to the fifth power as follows: G GS&J' 


32 


H V 


The old-fashioned letter is simply an imitation 
with flourishes, and is made without removing the 
pen from the paper. 

. The modern form, while simpler, requires two 
strokes of the pen. It is considered better, as it is 
more quickly made and plainer. 



This letter is, a single stroke in print. As different 
persons would make it of various lengths, if it were 
not elaborated, and as a simple' stroke is used for 
other purposes in writing, such as %, or to divide two 
words which by accident are written too close together, 
the loops at the top and bottom are added. It is 
written above the line to distinguish it from 0. 



J 


This letter is similar to I in script, but is drawn 
from above the line to below the line, and the loops 
at the top and bottom are differently formed. Like 
I, it is a simple stroke with loops at the top and 
bottom. 



K 


This is plainly an imitation of the print letter, 
using curved lines instead of straight ones. Two 


33 


strokes of the pen are required, with a loop in the 
middle of the second stroke instead of a sharp point. 
It is also written fft or r. 


This letter is made without removing the pen from 
the paper, imitating the printed letter, with a loop at 
the top, for style, and one at the bottom to form a 
sharp angle, which otherwise must be made by 
stopping the pen. 



The old-fashioned letter C/K is a plain imitation, 
difficult to make, and has been replaced by enlarging 
the small letter and adding curves for style. 

N 71 

Made like M, but with only one point or curve, 
depending on the style of letter used. C/f or 91. 

0 (7 

A simple imitation. In modern writing an enlarge¬ 
ment of the small letter is sometimes used. 

p - p " 

A simple imitation. The old-fashioned letter eft 
requires two strokes of the pen. The modern letter 


34 


(P\ and the still more modern letter P, require but 
one stroke of the pen—at least, the pen is not taken 
from the paper. 

Q.-2 

The old-fashioned letter Q was a nearer imitation 
of the print letter than the modern letter, which is 
now used on account of speed. 


A simple imitation, like P; made also (P and P. 

S J 

First draw the print letter S; then a line from one 
point of the letter to the other, and the imitation is 
easily understood. This letter is one of the easiest 

written letters to make. JS 


T J 

Like F, the old-fashioned letter c/ requires two 
strokes of the pen, and is easily mistaken for P. The 
modern letter P is easier to make and is not easily 
confused with P ', and is made without removing the 
pen from the paper. It is an imitation of the print 
letter. 


35 


U K 

This is a plain imitation; beginning with a curve and 
ending with a curve; the last curve is added, as other¬ 
wise it might be taken for the letter V • 


v v 

The old-fashioned letter is- a plain imitation. 
The modern letter, made with a curve instead of a 
sharp point at the bottom, is more difficult to make 
symmetrically, but not so easily mistaken for other 
letters. 


w w 

In old printing there was no letter U; the letter V 
was used for the sound of U and W; only in modern 
print does the letter W occur, and while it is still 
printed and written double V, it is called double U. 


X X 

The script letter is a plain imitation made by 
drawing two curved lines instead of straight lines. 
It is also made by drawing one curved line with loops, 
and one straight line thus: % 


36 


This letter is made by trying to imitate the print 
letter with a down, up and down stroke of the pen, 
and by replacing the angles with curves. 

Y y y y 


z / 

The script letter is a direct imitation of the print 
letter, using a curve for the first angle and a loop for 
the second angle, as in making the letters and ^ ; 
the loop at the bottom being added to distinguish 
this letter from 


37 


EIGHTEENTH LESSON 


SMALL SCRIPT LETTERS 


These are, with few exceptions, such obvious 
imitations of the print letters that it seems hardly 
necessary to explain their form. 

If an attempt is made to draw the small print 
alphabet, from beginning to end, without removing 
the pen from the paper, the reasons for the changes 
made, the use of curved lines instead of straight ones, 
the loops and connecting lines, such as are used with 
b, o, v, w, and the second form of r, become evident 
at once. 

Some parts of the print letters must be left out and 
some lines must be added. 


a a/. 


The top of this letter is omitted, as it would be diffi¬ 
cult to ‘‘write in” and is unnecessary. 



b 


If this letter were made like the print one and the 
connecting line came from the bottom, the letter would 
frequently look like ; therefore the connecting 

line comes from the top of the oval; which is not con¬ 
nected; and a small loop is added for facility in writing. 


38 


c ^ 

This letter is as close an imitation of print as it is 
possible to make; the old-fashioned letter was made 
thus: 

d 

This letter is as close an imitation as it is possible 
to make; the straight line should be made sufficiently 

long to distinguish it from the letter as, which it 

closely resembles. 

e ^ 

This letter is as close an imitation as it is possible to 
make quickly, and to be easily distinguished from 


An imitation with 


guish it from 


y. 


a loop below 


the line to distin- 


g r 


The script letter is an imitation of the capital script 
letter and not of the print letter. 


39 


h Ji/ 

As close an imitation as possible to write with a 
loop above instead of a straight line. 


i # 

As close an imitation as possible. 


j / 

As close an imitation as possible. 


As close an imitation as possible, with a loop above 
to distinguish it from jy . 


i y 

As close an imitation as possible, using a loop. 


m ^ 


As close an imitation as possible. 


40 


n ^ 

As close an imitation as possible. 

0 o' 

The connecting loop is used at the top of this letter 
so that it may not be confused with £S ; and for speed. 

p / 

An imitation of the print letter with a long line 
above the circle, and open at the bottom of the circle, 

as otherwise it might be confused with ,/7ls or . 

This letter is sometimes written closed, thus: but 

this is considered bad form, as it may be taken for . 

q f 

As close an imitation as possible; using a loop 
instead of a straight line at the bottom. 


r a. 

The form ? is as close an imitation as possible; 
but is not considered as good form as <4/ which is 
more used. 


41 


S J 

A very close imitation of the print letter. Try to 
draw the print letter rapidly in the middle of a word 
without removing the pen from the paper, and the 
reason for the form used becomes evident. 


t J 

As close an imitation as possible. 

U ^Us 

As close an imitation as possible. 


V Sir 

Made with a curve at the bottom instead of a sharp 
angle and with a connecting loop at the finish, as 

otherwise it would be confused with or ^. 

W sUf 

Like double sy, as explained under the capital letter. 


42 


X ^ 

As near an imitation as curved lines will permit; 
made like the capital letter. 


As close an imitation as possible. 


z A 

An imitation with a loop below the line for a finish, 
as otherwise it would be confused with J . 


4 ; 


PUNCTUATION MARKS. 

Period or full stop ..... 

Comma. 9 

Semicolon. . . • 

Colon.. : 

Interrogation mark ? 

Dash or hyphen. 

Parentheses.( ) 

Brackets. 

Quotation marks. 66 99 

Apostrophe. 9 

Accent. f 

Exclamation mark ! 






44 


SHADING. 

Shading, while not necessary, is extensively used to 
emphasize or give style to the letter. It is an imitation 
of the shadow cast by an object when the sun, or 
other source of light, shines on that object from any 
angle between 0 and 90°. The contrast between the 
lighter-colored object and its dark shadow serves to 
make the object stand out more prominently. This 
same effect is produced when letters are shaded. 

In nature it is found that the object, such as a 
tree, often stands on an uneven base and the sun 
shines first from one side and then the other at a 
constantly varying angle. This causes a continual 
change in the shape and direction of the shadow 
which if applied to letter shading would give a very 
uneven appearance. For our purpose, therefore, 
we assume the letter rests on an invisible horizontal 
line and that the source of light shines from a fixed 
point above and to the left of the letter at an angle 
of 45° to this horizontal line. The shading must, 
therefore, always be on the right side and bottom of 
each portion of the letter. 

Explain this to the child and teach it to produce 
this shading by drawing downward short lines at an 
angle of 45 ° from every corner of the letter, and from 
the top of every curve, where a line at this angle will 
not go over a part of the letter. All these short lines 


45 


must be the same length and made from the corners 
and curves on the right side of the letter, thus: 




Then draw horizontal and perpendicular lines to 
join the ends of these and fill in solid the new spaces 
formed, thus: 



Round letters are made the same, using curved lines 
where necessary. 





The foregoing is the simple form of shading print 
letters. Script shading and various embellishments 
which do not change the general shape, but empha¬ 
size or give style to the letter, may be taken up later. 

Text-books on the correct formation of letters are 
published, and the pupil desiring further instruction 
is referred to them. 
















































46 


EXAMPLES OF PRINT TYPE. 

Gothic Capitals 

A B C D E FG H I 

Gothic Lower Case 

abcdefghijkl 

Roman Capitals 

ABCDEFGH 

Roman Lower Case 

abcdefghijk 

Old English Capitals 

Old English Lower Case 

ahrbefgljijklut 


47 


Script Capitals 

j/ J“ # 9 £ Jf,// 


Script Lower Case 



Antique Capitals 

ABCDEFGHIJ 


Antique Lower Case 

abcdefghijklm 


Italic Capitals 

ABCDEFGHIJK 

Italic Lower Case 

abed efg h ij klm n 


48 


Bold Italic Capitals 

ABCDEFGHI 

Bold Italic Lower Case 

abcdefghijkl 

Antique Condensed Capitals 

ABCDEFGHIJKL 

Antique Condensed Lower Case 

abcdefghijklmn 























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